If your headline doesn't grab attention, chances are the rest of your direct response ad will not be read. David Ogilvy once said that you have spent 80 cents out of every dollar once you are committed to your headline. So if the headline is 80% of your success, it needs to connect to the reader instantly. Many successful DR headlines focus on news value (the product is new, this is something I have not seen before, etc.) or appeal to your self-interest (How can you avoid the mistakes others have made? Are you one of the few special people who ...).
Another purpose of your headline is to identify and select your audience immediately. Since DR ads run in publications where the audience is typically less targeted than direct mail, zeroing in on your audience helps you qualify your readers so you're spending your money on those who are in your market. For example, "We're looking for people who want to earn $40,000 a year working only 2 hours a day from home." This headline identifies non-working parents who need extra money but cannot work from an office. Further, it clarifies that it won't tax the time you spend with your children since two hours a day could be accomplished more easily than commuting to a part time job. Take a look at the direct response ads you see in magazines. Take a look at your own headlines. Do they clearly identify the audience, promise a solution to a problem, excite you, or promise benefits?
